dog. yeah. >> great little thermal blankets, crawl up on your lap. >> and you have a live camera on your dog. >> he is kennelled because he just had surgery. he's so sad. >> misses you. >> yes. we're back at 6:00. tonight, millions at risk of severe weather. a life-threatening storm system sweeping across the country, knocking out power to tens of thousands as parts of california are digging out. shocking video of dangerous conditions and a hospital staffer sounding the alarm over supplies. >> we've been saying that they're starting to run out of supplies now. inside the tense new fighting in ukraine. as putin speaks out, deals about whether china will supply russia with weapons. new outrage over the

contaminated waste over that train derailment that was sent to other places without warning. the famous creator of dilbert his shocking comments leading to hundreds of papers nationwide to pull the comic strict. plus, hours to liftoff. a new crew is headed to the international space station after mishaps in spaces on the space station. and the amazing celebration for a team manager who got his big moment on the court. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with kate snow >> good evening. that strong storm that dumped rain and snow on california is h heading east now the same scene across new mexico today 11 million people are at risk for wind gusts for 80 and 110 miles per hour, and tornadoes are likely across oklahoma. and in california, after historic snow, now raging rivers.

the ground so saturated, rock slides are the concern, like this one northwest of l.a. dana griffin starts us off tonight. >> reporter: tonight, the remnants of a massive storm that battered the region with heavy rain and historic snow. >> oh, my. >> it's compact. >> reporter: in this part of the san bernardino county mountains, about two hours from l.a., several feet of unplowed snow is also impossible for security guard pete rodriguez to get to work >> i'm 5'9", and the snow was up to my chest. >> reporter: and even greater concern at the medical center where he works he says staffers staying overnight and food and supplies are running low. >> how are they able to survive inside the medical center all this time? >> they've had no deliveries this past week since the storm started. so they've been reliant on what they have had in. never even saying that they're starting to run out of supplies now. >> reporter: big bear lake saw the snowiest

stretch on record with 57 inches. even jackie the eagle was hunkered down, ear she emerges from her snow-covered nest, protecting her precious egg >> a little eerie being out here and not seeing any vehicles. but that just kind of shows you the severity of the situation you have going on right now. we appreciate everyone's patience. >> plow crews are working 12 to 14-hour shifts to get roads back open. a new storm has since moved into the northwest, bringing blizzard conditions to the sierra nevada, with an additional 2 to 6 feet of snow by tuesday. in reno, officials issued a new blizzard warning they say could be life threatening. although the worst of the storm in southern california is over, these are the lingering impacts. rocks giving way along the central california highway. in los angeles county, erosion from heavy rains ate away at the shoreline next to this rv park. take a look. this rv plunges into a river. nearby residents grateful no one was hurt

>> it could have even been worse last night with the amount of rain we had. i'm just glad we're safe >> that video is really something dana griffin is with us now you're at that rv park about an hour north of l.a. is there concern for the people who are still there, dana? >> reporter: yeah, well, kate, i want to show you, this is one of the three rvs that fell into the water as this hillside gave way. as a precaution, those homes that were nearby have since relocated to the opposite side of this rv park. kate >> all right dana, thank you. there are new concerns tonight that china is considering supplying russia with weapons and ammunition to help its invasion of ukraine, as the fighting intensifies there. erin mclaughlin has the latest from kyiv. >> reporter: tonight the latest from the town of vuhledar, ukrainian troops are

defiant. ukrainians don't have another option but to win, this soldier says this haunting video released by the russians shows what remains of the area around bakhmut a chilling sign that neither side is backing down in an interview that aired sunday, president putin telling russian state tv, the west has one goal to disband the former soviet union and its fundamental part, the russian federation as the u.s. ramps up its warnings on china, three u.s. officials familiar with the matter telling nbc news china is considering sending artillery and ammunition to russia allegations that china denies >> well, we're confident that the chinese leadership is considering the provision of lethal equipment. >> today, president zelenskyy vowing to liberty russian-occupied crimea and return the ukrainian flag to every corner of ukraine. while the u.s. reiterated its support. >> it's for the united states to support ukraine on the battlefield, so that they can achieve the victory that they define that's what we are determined to do >> ukrainian officials insist crimea can be freed. >> is it realistic, though, for ukraine to

take back crimea, given that the russians are thoroughly entrenched in crimea? >> it didn't look realistic in that year, russia wouldn't issue a military resolve and lose dozens of thousands of its troops that's why when i asked whether something was realistic, i said, undoubtedly. >> reporter: determination that's echoed on the ukrainian front line "this is war some retreat, some advance," this soldier says "but i have no worries. i believe in our vic troy the last. and erin joins us now from kyiv. is there any evidence that china is supplying weapons to russia >> kate, the director of the cia says that so far, they've seen no evidence that china has given lethal aid to russia and they believe they have yet to make a decision kate >> all right erin mclaughlin, thank you. also overseas, at least 59 people, including 12 children are dead after a migrant boat crashed against rocks and sank near the southern

coast of italy this morning. the wooden sailing boat was carrying people to europe from nations including afghanistan and iran a new classified government report about the origins of covid-19 is igniting debate tonight the u.s. energy department weighing in on whether the virus was born in a lab. its conclusion a odds with what other agencies have said our monica alba has the details. >> reporter: tonight, nbc news learning the department of energy has concluded covid-19 likely came from a lab leak in china. according to two sources with direct knowledge, key lawmakers on the house and senate intelligence committees were recently briefed by top intelligence officials on a classified report, which cited new information, leading the energy department to back the theory with low confidence. symbolic of a larger divide within the intelligence community on how the virus started. with agencies differing on whether the novel coronavirus may have leaked from a laboratory or through

natural transmission "the wall street journal" reporting sunday it was unintentional and a lab mishap a u.s. official confirming that assessment from the report, and stressing that there's still consensus this was not a chinese bioweapon. but there is still no definitive answer or agreement from the u.s. government on the overall origin some elements of the intelligence community have reached conclusions on one side, some on the other. a number of them have said that they just don't have enough information to be sure >> the energy department telling nbc news the agency continues to support the thorough, careful, and objective work of our intelligence professionals in investigating the origins of covid-19 as directed by president biden. the gop-led house oversight committee confirming the office of the director of national intelligence provided classified information to the panel earlier this month, as lawmakers seek more answers. >> i think that we need to do extensive hearings i hope our democratic colleagues in the congress can support that >> and monica joins me

now from the white house. monica, has china said anything about this latest report? >> the chinese government has not responded to this latest intelligence, but has long denied the pandemic ever started from a leak in one of its laboratories kate >> monica alba at the white house for us thank you. growing outrage tonight after officials in ohio announced they will be moving contaminated waste again from the location of that train derailment to other parts of the state george solis has the latest >> reporter: tonight, the residents of eas palestine, ohio, again left swimming in a sea of doubt >> who can you really believe, you know? >> reporter: health and safety concerns still rampant, more than three weeks after the norfolk southern toxic train derailment >> we had eyes that were burning i couldn't stop sneezing for half an hour >> reporter: today, federal authorities announcing the shipment of contaminated waste from the site would resume tomorrow to two new locations in ohio. >> all of this is great news for the people of east

palestine and the surrounding community. because it means that the cleanup can continue at a rapid pace >> reporter: this latest development comes after officials just yesterday announced they were halting shipments of the toxic train waste to two epa-approved disposal sites in michigan and one in texas. will that continue in any capacity? is that material being vetted >> that material was already vetted they are not currently accepting anymore. >> reporter: still, wayne county michigan executive warren evans saying he felt blindsided by last week's arrival of tons of contaminated soil and water. >> the outward effect of it looks like that we're being sandbagged >> reporter: back in ohio today, east palestine residents stocked up on cases of free bottled water caravans rolling into town with other giveaways, including air filters. >> how many in your household? >> there's four of us. >> reporter: meanwhile, federal agencies say outreach efforts to address residents' concerns will continue, but

tonight, some here left wondering if their town will ever recover. >> i have mixed emotions about all of the publicity, but by the same token, if we don't have the publicity, who's going to hold norfolk's feet to the iron? >> george solis joins me now from east palestine, ohio. george, what's happening at the derailment site now? >> reporter: kate, the ohio epa says they'll be installing water wells at the site to determine if the ground water is contaminated also, all but 11 of the rail cars have been removed from the site those that are still there are part of the ongoing ntsb investigation. kate >> george, thank you we are just hours away from the launch of another spacex rocket carrying an international crew to the space station. tom costello is at cape canaveral tonight with more. >> reporter: while spacex rocket launches can feel routine, there is nothing routine about space travel these days. nasa and the russian space agency continue carrying each other's astronauts and cosmonauts to space,

even as war rages in ukraine. >> this is mission control houston -- >> reporter: while on the orbiting space station, a docked soyuz spacecraft suddenly sprang a leak in december. >> and the flight controllers here at michigan control in houston have been noticing a stream of particles coming out of the soyuz ms-22 vehicle. >> a coolant leak, likely caused by a micrometeor, leaving a u.s. astronaut and two cosmonauts without a lifeboat in case of emergency. then in february, another leak this time a russian cargo ship docked to the station. again, russia says a micrometeor was probably to blame. on friday, russia launched a replacement soyuz lifeboat >> and liftoff >> reporter: now another space-x rocket is poised for an early morning launch crew six includes two americans, an astronaut from the uae, and russian cosmonaut andre fidayev. steve bowen is the commander. >> do you even discuss

ukraine? >> i don't think we avoid it as it just never comes up we all have the same goal in space. >> reporter: they have been training together for months, even with u.s./russian relations at their worst in 30 years. >> translator: life on the international space station, the live of people, of humans in space is the best example of how people should be living back on earth >> reporter: 250 miles above the earth, russian and american lives depend on each other. >> the crew of four will stay on the station for six months, while the crew that launched last october should come back within a week the protocol on the station seems to be, don't talk politics or ukraine. kate >> all right tom costello, thank you. still ahead tonight, why the popular comic strip "dillbert" is being removed from hundreds of newspapers. also, families going into debt to feed their kids school lunch.

we're back with the controversy surrounding the creator of the popular comic street "dilbert." it's now being dropped from hundreds of newspapers across the country after that creator made racist remarks on a youtube show emilie ikeda has the story. >> reporter: splashed across newspapers for decades, "dilbert" the syndicated comic strip has long poked fun at workplace culture, even briefly hitting tv screens >> are we sticking with our ban on useless greetings? >> yes >> just checking >> reporter: but this weekend, hundreds of

newspapers are wiping the cartoon from their pages after "dilbert"'s creator labeled black people a hate group during a rant on his show, "real coffee with scott adams. >> the best advice i would give to white people is to get the hell away from black people i'm going to back off from being helpful to black america, because it doesn't seem like it pays off. >> reporter: adams is reacting to a recent poll that found that 26% of black respondents disagreed with the statement, "it's okay to be white," a commonly used phrase in the white supremacist movement and since labelled a hate slogan by the antidefamation league the company that syndicates "dilbert" said it was disturbed by adams' personal views and now a growing list of major publications are no longer running the comic, denouncing the 65-year-old's comments as racist and discriminatory the cleveland plain dealer wrote it was not a difficult decision we are not a home for those who espouse racism >> how widespread do you think the fallout will be?

>> i'm waiting to see. newspapers have an opportunity right now to show who they want to talk to in this country, who they feel should be represented in this country. >> reporter: while reckoning with the rapid fallout in follow-up live streams this weekend, adams accused the media of taking his comments out of context >> the context is far too many black americans have a negative opinion of white americans. >> reporter: this isn't the first time a newspaper has pulled the plug on his work, but even the cartoonist admits, a comeback from this controversy is hard to draw up. >> my reputation for the rest of my life is destroyed. >> reporter: emilie ikeda, nbc news. we're back in a moment with families racking up hundreds in debt to pay for school lunches. plus, the magic moment when this young man lived out his dreams on the basketball court

during the pandemic, kids across

the country received breakfast and lunch at school free of charge, but since that program expired, schools and families have been struggling with the cost on the lunch line our reporter has the story. >> reporter: for parents like marcy kelly in pennsylvania, feeding her kids lunch is more challenging than ever. >> have your kids ever asked you about, like, mom, like, are you struggling to pay for lunch? >> i just tell them, i don't have any money to give you. i get paid next friday >> reporter: at one point, the single mother says she had over $200 in school meal debt. >> i never wanted to live like this i wanted to be able to provide my children with everything that they ever wanted >> reporter: less than 200 miles away in ohio, mom of four mifrd miranda nolton knows the struggle too. today she owes the school nearly $800 >> what's the hardest thing about being in debt for school lunch? >> feeling like i'm not being the parent that i should be to my kids that's probably the heaviest weight. because i feel like i'm not providing for them

>> reporter: federal funds for school meals expired at the beginning of the fall semester, putting additional strain on families juggling higher costs at the gas pump and the grocery store. this year, schools encouraged families to apply for free and discounted meal programs, but neither kelly nor nolton say they qualified nationwide, 900 schools have racked up over $19 million in meal debt according to the school nutrition association. and that's only since september. at trinity area school district in washington, pennsylvania, there are over $9,200 in the red since the start of the school year. >> that number is quite frankly scary. how are we going to recover from this? these numbers are go up every single day. >> reporter: each school district decides what to do with the money they owe. some dip into their own general education funds to cover the balance. others may stop students from walking at graduation. bills can also be sent to collections how do you feel, knowing that some of this school lunch debt

might impact your student? >> it makes me angry because he's worked hard to get to where he's at. and it's not his fault. >> you can't sit in a classroom with a growling belly and expect to think about anything else. >> reporter: how do you feel when you're unable to pay off school lunch debt for your kids? >> it feels like i'm failing them >> reporter: parents fighting to feed their children at home and at school. nbc news, washington, pennsylvania when we come back, the celebration on the court that was about so much more than just the game

there's good news tonight about the spirit of sportsmanship, and one teenager who won't let anything come between him and his dream. >> hut, hut, hike! >> reporter: for south carolina high school freshman carson waters, playing sports means everything his mom, mary, and dad, dan, say he's always enjoyed competition. >> he's just really an athletic kid >> he's been playing soccer and i play pickleball now so he plays pickleball, does tennis, basketball, loves to swim. >> reporter: because carson has down syndrome, his mom says keeping up with other kids his age hasn't been easy. that's why this game was so special the jv team at phillip simmons high school in charleston was closing out its season earlier this month carson, the team's manager was on the bench. when suddenly, coach ryan mccauley waved

him into the game. he's number three. there's carson's mom in the stands, anxiously watching it all. with his teammates by his side cheering him on, carson gets the ball and shoots. he shoots again! finally, sinking it! and bringing mary to tears. before jumping into her arms for a sideline celebration >> being in that spotlight for that moment was very special to him >> and unforgettable for teammates darryl and nathan >> when carson made that shot, it was -- i don't know, it was -- the energy, it just went through my body, went up to the crowd's body, the player's body >> it just hit us. i think i jumped higher than everybody.

i ever did before. man, it was unbelievable >> reporter: coach mccauley says carson's dedication to the team inspires them all. >> carson has been there for the team from day one and he's a part of the team and he's just like everybody else >> reporter: its a message carson's family says is about a lot more than just a game >> it's about being accepting of not just disabilities, but we're all different. and everyone has a place. and if we can open our hearts and open our minds to people who may not look like us or may not act like us or may not learn like us, we might actually learn something from them >> isn't that the truth? and with the basketball season ending, carson's now going to become the team manager for track and field. we wish him all the luck in the world. that is "nbc nightly news" for this sunday. lester holt will be with you tomorrow. i'm kate snowe for all of us at nbc news, stay safe. have a great night

right now at 6:00. the first service after a devastating fire. the congregation of an historic open church was able to come together with help. what started the pandemic? a new report points to a controversial theory but investigators are still on the fence. what we know so far. also [ band playing ] >> the celebration of black heritage in the bay area. we will take you to the sixth annual black joy parade. the news at 6:00 starts right now. thanks for joining us right no